Will Ponter was seriously injured after diving into a swimming pool on the final night of his holiday

A British man is back home after a horrific accident in Turkey paralysed him. His girlfriend said their ‘faith in humanity was restored’ as the family thanked the public for their support.

Will Ponter suffered life-changing injuries after diving into a swimming pool on the final night of his holiday. Echo reports his girlfriend Becky pulled him from the water before he was rushed to hospital for urgent treatment, according to his family.

The 24-year-old subsequently underwent a gruelling 13-hour emergency operation for a broken neck in Antalya. Doctors confirmed that as a result of his injuries he would be paralysed from the neck down.

His devastated family faced the enormous challenge of bringing him back to the UK while also meeting the costs of his medical bills in Turkey. A fundraiser was launched with a £150,000 target to help cover his medical care, repatriation and future needs, reports the Manchester Evening News.

That target has now been met and Will, who grew up in Holme, Cumbria, and now lives in Carnforth, Lancashire, was flown back to Britain by UK aeroplane ambulance charity Lia’s Wings. He made the journey home aboard a specialist air ambulance.

A spokesman for Lia’s Wings said: “After being contacted by Will’s family, Lia’s Wings arranged a specialist air ambulance to bring him safely back to the UK. Will arrived home on Sunday and is now in the care of specialist clinicians.

“This has been an extremely distressing time for his family, and we will continue to provide ongoing support for as long as they need us. We’re also deeply moved by the community support that has helped make his journey support possible.”

Charlotte Young, chief operating officer at Lia’s Wings, said: “Will, and his friends and family, have shown true bravery, and the kindness shown by the public continues to be truly life-changing for this family. We are glad Lia’s Wings could play our part in Will’s journey and will stay with his family for as long as they need us.”

Will’s girlfriend Becky Francey said everyone who donated had ‘really restored my faith in humanity. ‘ She revealed Will was stable in hospital in Lancaster following ‘a really long 10 days trying to get him back’ and would be transferred to the Royal Preston Hospital for further treatment.

She noted that visiting hours were more favourable there, meaning the family could spend considerably more time with him. They still ‘don’t know’ what lies ahead until he is no longer sedated and comes off ventilation so ‘they can assess the damage he’s done.

‘ “The doctors at Lancaster are amazing at keeping us informed,” Becky said. “Now we can just concentrate on letting the doctors do what they need to do.”

She added: “It is definitely a relief to be back in England but it’s also tough being home, I haven’t spent much time at our house because he’s not there. While he’s intubated, he can’t talk to me and I miss him so much.”

The fundraising page set up by Will’s relatives has collected £152,452.

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The first international break of the season is just around the corner – but it will look and feel a lot different than normal.

Traditionally, international breaks have lasted for two weeks with each country playing two games during the fortnight of action.

But this international window will last for three weeks, from September 21 until October 9, with European teams each taking part in four Nations League group stage games.

Given the unusually long length, the October international break has effectively been scrapped and has been merged with the September window instead.

The next round of international matches after this will be in November, with countries playing twice across two weeks. For European teams, the November window will see them play the final two games of their Nations League group campaigns.

The move was made, in part, due to the late finish to the World Cup, which concluded on July 19 – making it the latest date the tournament has finished on since 1966.

With player welfare a primary concern, it was deemed that one break, instead of two, would help to reduce the stresses and strains of international travel.

This will be particularly welcome for players who have to travel between continents to play for their national sides, such as European-based players who represent South American and African teams.

Crucially, countries will not be playing more games than they otherwise would have done – six games will still be contested between now and Christmas.

This new international calendar, which was approved by FIFA back in March 2023, will remain in place until at least 2030.

When do England play?

England’s first game will be against world champions Spain at Wembley on Saturday, September 26.

The Three Lions will then head to Prague to face Czechia on Tuesday, September 29, before travelling to play Croatia on Saturday, October 3.

Thomas Tuchel’s men will then wrap up the international break with a return clash against Czechia at Wembley on Tuesday, October 6.

Their remaining games will take place in November against Croatia (H) and Spain (A) on the 12th and 15th respectively.

The top two teams in each group from League A will qualify for the quarter-finals, with semi-finals and a final to follow.

The knockout-round matches will be held in the summer of 2027.

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“He had a withered leg from an injury sustained back from when he’d been in the army.

“The victim had apparently reported that the attacker had had brown eyes. Our brother had very clear blue eyes.

“He had a prominent military tattoo on his forearm, which understandably would have been visible because the runner was wearing a T-shirt.”

They also said their brother lived in Notting Hill, had no connection with Putney and they had evidence to suggest he was in his Bond Street office at the time of the attack.

“So this came completely out of the blue, off effectively an allegation which must have been either malicious or mistaken.”

In further criticism of the Met’s investigation, the sisters said Brandram never received DNA test results.

They said he “willingly” provided a sample two months ago in the hope of eliminating himself from inquiries and pleaded with police to speed up the results.

Paying tribute to their brother, they said he was warm, enthusiastic and charming.

They said: “He was a gentleman.

“He was our very, very, very loved brother and uncle, father, son. He was a real family man and we’ve always been a very close family and didn’t deserve any of this happening to him.”

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By JAMES TAPSFIELD, UK POLITICAL EDITOR

Published: 08:30 BST, 18 September 2026 | Updated: 08:48 BST, 18 September 2026

Andy Burnham is scrambling to revive his EU ‘reset’ today as Brussels plays hardball on trade and free movement.   

The PM is set to meet his Irish counterpart Micheál Martin at so-called ‘No10 North’ in Manchester this morning.

The agenda will include the planned EU-UK summit – which has been delayed from July and now might not even happen before Christmas.

Meanwhile, Chancellor John Healey will join EU finance ministers in Dublin, where he will urge them not to shut the UK out of a protectionist ‘Made in Europe’ scheme.

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Mr Burnham has told European leaders he has ‘ambitions’ for getting closer ties with the bloc, and previously used to argue for rejoining. 

However, talks have run into the same obstacles as under Keir Starmer, with Brussels adamant Britain would have to accept EU rules and contribute financially to reduce friction at borders.

There are tensions over a proposed youth free movement scheme and demands for students to get discounted tuition fees in England.   

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Andy Burnham is scrambling to revive his EU ‘reset’ today as Brussels plays hardball on trade and free movement

The PM is set to meet his Irish counterpart Micheál Martin (pictured) at so-called ‘No10 North’ in Manchester this morning

So far the Government has insisted it will not break ‘red lines’ on rejoining the single market and customs union, despite pressure from unions and Labour MPs. 

Ahead of their meeting today, Mr Martin said it was an opportunity to ‘inject further momentum’ into the partnership between the two governments.

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Issues up for discussion will include addressing the legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

The Taoiseach added: ‘We will also discuss how best to work in partnership to sustain the overall success of the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts in the time ahead.

‘Our discussions will also cover EU and international issues, including Ireland’s current presidency of the Council of the EU and the next EU-UK Summit, and the situation in Ukraine, Gaza and the Middle East more broadly.’

At the Ecofin meeting, Mr Healey is set to warn that the ‘Made in Europe’ procurement drive should not ‘erect new barriers’ with the UK. The scheme is intended to protect the continent’s manufacturing from global competition, especially from China.

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The Chancellor will also tell his counterparts it is important to ‘learn lessons’ after the collapse of talks on the prospect of the UK joining the EU defence loans scheme, security action for Europe (Safe).

Chancellor John Healey will join EU finance ministers in Dublin, where he will urge them not to shut the UK out of a protectionist ‘Made in Europe’ scheme

Mr Healey said: ‘The next chapter of Britain’s growth story will be written in more places.

‘To me, closer ties with the EU means British businesses – wherever they are based across the UK – get better access to both the supply chains and the customers they need to grow.’

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Mr Burnham told French president Emmanuel Macron earlier this month that the ‘buy European’ programme ‘could pose significant challenges’ for UK industries, including steel.

This map shows the route of the 247 service which runs between the Trafford Centre and Altrincham.

The bus passes through Crofts Bank, Davyhulme, Trafford General Hospital, Calder Bank, Woodsend Circle, Flixton, Carrington, Partington, Sinderland Green, Broadheath and finally Altrincham.

It is not yet known how long Lillia was on the bus for or where she got off, but police are calling for anyone who was on the service or remembers seeing Lillia get in touch.

She was seen entering the bus at the Trafford Centre bus station from 1.50pm on Saturday (September 12).

The incident took place on the A171 towards Whitby and involved a red quad bike which was reported as stolen to North Yorkshire Police. 

Officers travelling towards Whitby on the A171 spotted the quad bike heading in the opposite direction towards Scaling Dam.

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A police pursuit began when the rider failed to stop.

The chase continued westbound on the A171 before the quad bike turned onto Roxby Low Moor and travelled along Roxby Lane, passing the junction for Borrowby and through Dale House.

The vehicle then turned back towards Whitby on Hinderwell Lane.

Officers brought the vehicle to a safe stop near the Port Mulgrave turn-off, where Hinderwell Lane meets Rosedale Lane.

During the pursuit, the suspect discarded a mobile phone, which was recovered by officers as part of the investigation.

A man in his 30s from the Cleveland area was arrested at 4.39am—just 24 minutes after the initial report—on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, driving without insurance, and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

The quad bike was recovered and the suspect remains in custody.

Video of the incident has been released by North Yorkshire Police to highlight the professionalism and dedication of their officers.

Chief Inspector Alex Langley, of North Yorkshire Police’s Specialist Operations team, said: “This incident highlights the dedication of our officers who work around the clock to protect our communities.

“Thanks to a swift response and coordinated policing tactics, a suspected stolen vehicle was recovered, a suspect was arrested and a potentially dangerous situation was brought to a safe conclusion.”

James and Naomi Miller have accused some residents of being racist after police were called to reports that the family’s quad bike was being driven illegally through the village of Tunstall, near Richmond.

The couple are facing legal action from North Yorkshire Council after fencing off a corner of a field outside the village and installing a mobile home, a caravan and two sheds on the plot.

The Millers, who have Romani heritage but say their families have lived in Skipton for five generations, purchased the land earlier this year and moved onto the site with their two adult sons.

In a post on social media following the incident on Wednesday, the couple said they wanted to let the people know who called police that no action was taken as the quad was road legal with insurance and road tax.

The couple say there “must be ten quads a day” which drive through the village but do not get reported to the police.

They add: “Yous are wasting your racist time; we are here to stay, we are going nowhere.

“We are Yorkshire bred and born. We are not travellers. Ask Richmond the difference. They have just had to endure them on car parks — that’s not us. We own our land and we’re decent Yorkshire people.”

The couple have previously told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that they aware local residents think they was building a traveller site on the field, which they have called Miller’s Meadow.

The couple have said they are very community-focussed and just want to be left alone to live in peace.

They added in this week’s social media post: “I keep telling you, keep on and I will sell this land to 20 traveller families for a pittance, and then maybe youse will see the difference between us and what you say we are.”

The post adds that the couple run three successful businesses.

It adds: “It took six months to do this, not a bank holiday weekend. This is our home bought and payed for and yes I pay more in tax a year than a lot of youse will earn.”

North Yorkshire councillor for the Upper Dales, Yvonne Peacock, confirmed that the authority was taking legal action over the land.

“The council is taking enforcement and I am working closely with the planning authorities and the local parish council,” she added.

North Yorkshire Council said it did not comment on ongoing cases.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has contacted North Yorkshire Police for comment on its response.

Bolton Destitute Animal Shelter has been named a finalist in both the Best Animal Rescue/Charity and Outstanding Contribution to Animal Welfare categories, having been selected from more than 16,000 nominations.

The nominations are part of the Pet Industry Business Awards.

The shelter announced the news on social media, thanking supporters for helping it reach the finals and urging residents to cast their votes.

Juke the dog (Image: Bolton Destitute Animal Centre)

A spokesperson from the shelter said: “I can’t believe we are finalists for not one but two awards. We are in such shock and so happy that our amazing team has been recognised for all the hard work they do.

“We hope this brings more awareness to our rescue so we can help even more dogs and cats who need our support.

“In all the 100 years we have never been finalists in any awards ceremony, so we are all over the moon.”

The organisation said the recognition was for the animals that have passed through its doors over the years, as well as the staff, volunteers and supporters who help keep the charity running.

Voting is now open, with the shelter encouraging people to back its bid for the awards.

Voting closes on October 11 and you can vote for Destitute Animal Shelter through the awards website.

Leah Smith, 29, was forced to medically retire as an NHS A&E receptionist

A young woman diagnosed with a rare condition is only able to consume tea and biscuits. Whenever Leah Smith, 29, ate anything, it would result in severe bloating and swelling, causing her abdomen to resemble a pregnancy bump. She described being “violently sick” and vomiting undigested food that had remained in her stomach days later, leading her to lose 6st in 10 weeks at her worst.

Leah endured her symptoms for a year before receiving a diagnosis of gastroparesis (stomach paralysis) — a condition where the nerves responsible for signalling her stomach to empty became paralysed, leaving her unable to pass food into her intestines. Her condition is so severe that she has since had a Hickman line fitted to her chest, through which she receives her nutritional feed.

She must wear the device for 12 hours a day, five days a week. Leah was compelled to take medical retirement from her role as an NHS A&E receptionist and has been advised that tea and biscuits are the only things her body can now tolerate. She has also revealed that she can no longer recall the taste of food, yet still “loves” to cook.

Leah, from Benfleet, Essex, said: “The only things I can really manage are tea, coffee with lactose-free milk and occasionally the cream from the middle of a custard cream biscuit. To me it isn’t strange not eating anymore, as I know the complications that come with it – but in fact I actually enjoy cooking.

“I don’t actually miss eating my favourite foods as I’ve actually lost the memory of the flavour of them. My life now revolves around my TPN connection and disconnection times.

“I was put on the machine because doctors told me that I was starving to death. I would say it affected my life at the beginning, as friends didn’t really know what I would be comfortable with. But I still go out to family meals, just because I don’t eat doesn’t mean I can’t get the socialisation from it.”

Leah explained that she has suffered from digestive problems since her teenage years, but her condition gradually deteriorated until around June 2023, when she suddenly found herself completely unable to eat.

She said: “I realised my stomach seemed to hold onto food for about three days before I’d be violently sick. My digestive system just wasn’t moving food through properly.”

Leah also began shedding weight at an alarming rate, prompting her to visit her GP in early July 2023. She underwent blood tests, an endoscopy, CT scan, capsule camera and ultrasound, yet doctors were unable to pinpoint the cause of her symptoms. Leah also attempted to modify her diet in a bid to ease the pain.

She said: “Weirdly, the only thing I could tolerate for a while was ready salted Pringles. I basically lived off them for months.”

As her health continued to deteriorate, Leah was repeatedly admitted to hospital suffering from severe malnutrition and starvation ketosis.

She said: “I lost around 6st in about 10 weeks, but because I was still technically within a healthy BMI range, I often felt like people didn’t understand how seriously ill I was.”

She also claims she was told her symptoms were “psychological or linked to my autism”, which she says has left her sometimes to struggle to “trust herself and symptoms”. Leah underwent a succession of increasingly complex nutritional interventions as medical professionals searched for answers.

Initially she was fed through a nasogastric (NG) tube, which passes through the nose into the stomach, before subsequently receiving a nasojejunal (NJ) tube, which feeds directly into the small bowel. A turning point finally arrived when Leah paid privately to consult a gastroenterologist in August 2023.

She said: “He immediately suspected gastroparesis linked to my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and arranged a gastric emptying study.”

Gastroparesis, meaning “stomach paralysis,” occurs when the nerves that control stomach emptying fail to function properly, causing food to move too slowly through the digestive tract. It affects just 14 in every 100,000 people in the UK, according to Guts UK, the national charity for the digestive system. A gastric-emptying study confirmed that Leah’s stomach was barely emptying at all.

She said: “After three-and-a-half hours, I still had full stomach contents sitting there undigested when it should have emptied much earlier.”

Leah was subsequently referred to a specialist intestinal failure team, before being admitted to hospital in November 2024 to commence Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN). A method of delivering complete nutrition directly into a person’s bloodstream, in her case via a Hickman line, means she now receives daily nourishment straight into her bloodstream through a tube leading into her chest, powered by a device called a Micrel pump, which she carries in a blackout rucksack.

According to Guts UK, there is no cure for gastroparesis. Specialists at Guts UK state that Leah’s experience of TPN feeding is exceptionally uncommon due to the high risk of complications, including infection. Now, two years on, Leah says that living with gastroparesis continues to impact every aspect of her daily life.

She said: “Simple things like hoovering, walking my dog or going out with friends completely wipe me out. I wish people understood how serious and life-changing digestive conditions can be.”

According to a YouGov poll, commissioned by the charity Guts UK, 28% of adults who have experienced digestive symptoms have felt embarrassed by them.